The Sixth Basic Sciences Symposium of The Transplantation Society will be held at Asilomar Conference Center on the Monterey Peninsula, August 25-29,1999. Since its inception the Basic Sciences Symposium has convened biennially in years that alternate with the International Congress of the Society. The Symposium is unique because it is the only meeting devoted exclusively to basic science aspects of transplantation. To the extent that all advances in clinical transplantation depend upon progress in basic science, this is an essential meeting for the initial presentation and discussion of seminal scientific information in transplantation. The objective of the Basic Sciences Symposium is to promote scientific interaction and the informal exchange of recent developments in transplantation immunology among investigators in scientific disciplines that impact clinical and experimental transplantation. In addition, an important goal of the meeting is to serve an educational role for young investigators. To foster achievement of these objectives the meeting is held in a retreat- like atmosphere and every effort is made to keep costs to a reasonable level. The Local Organizing Committee, comprised of Faculty members from six departments at Stanford University School of Medicine, is an integrated group of highly qualified individuals with extensive combined experience in Basic and Clinical aspects of Transplantation. This committee has developed an exciting Symposium program giving special attention to areas in Transplantation Biology in which rapid progress is being made. Symposium participants will come from all regions of the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Australia, and the Far East. Importantly, this Symposium has always attracted a large number of young scientists. In fact, nearly half (49.2%) of the registrants at the Fifth Basic Sciences Symposium were young investigators. This meeting provides future leaders in the field of Transplantation with a unique opportunity to interact with established investigators. Moreover, the full participation of young investigators is essential to the continued success of the Basic Sciences Symposium.